Thermodynamic Analysis of the Selective Reduction of a Nickeliferous Limonitic Laterite Ore by Hydrogen

Abstract

Nickeliferous limonitic laterite ores are becoming increasingly attractive as a source of metallic nickel as the costs associated with recovering nickel from the sulphide ores increase. Unlike the sulphide ores, however, the laterite ores are not amenable to concentration by conventional mineral processing techniques such as froth flotation. One potential concentrating method would be the pyrometallurgical solid state reduction of the nickeliferous limonitic ores at relatively low temperatures, followed by beneficiation via magnetic separation. A number of reductants can be utilized in the reduction step, and in this research, a thermodynamic model has been developed to investigate the reduction of a nickeliferous limonitic laterite by hydrogen. The nickel recovery to the ferronickel phase was predicted to be greater than 95% at temperatures of 673-873 K. Reductant additions above the stoichiometric requirement resulted in high recoveries over a wider temperature range, but the nickel grade of the ferronickel decreased.